This page has A LOT of helpful tips and guidelines for essay writing.
SPECIFIC WRITING TIPS
Learn the commonly misspelled words: their vs. there vs. they're, are vs. our, led vs. lead, etc...
Don't use don't: DO NOT use conjunctions (don't, can't, won't, etc).
Use ACADEMIC LANGUAGE: always use key terms AND words like significant, important, aspect, factor, etc instead of words like big, thing, etc. and use the vocabulary of your topic, including key terms.
Learn to write mostly in compound sentences, they are usually required in order to write thoughtfully.
Become adept at using words and phrases such as: because, however, though, including, along with, for example, similar to, different than, etc...which help create compound sentences and good arguments.
Always have a TITLE that you create.
Avoid absolutes. Try not to use the words never, always, all, none, etc. Instead, use words like most, some, few, almost all, many, etc.
Don't use "etc." Instead use "and others" or "and many more" or something similar.
Use the past tense. Start in the past tense. Stay in the past tense.
Every time you make a general point, support it with at least one example.
Recognize (and refute, if possible) at least one argument that opposes yours.
Call historical figures by their full name once and then by their last name. Abraham Lincoln should be discussed as Abraham Lincoln once and then called Lincoln after that.
Call Americans Americans. Don't call Americans "us" or "we".
The United States is a country. Americans are people. A country is "it" whereas a people is "they."
Don't use "I" or "In my opinion" or "The two topics I am choosing are _". Just write what you would write after those items.
SAMPLE ESSAY QUESTIONS
2010 AP EXAM OPEN RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS:
Directions: Choose ONE question from this part. You are advised to spend 5 minutes planning and 30 minutes writing your answer. Cite relevant historical evidence in support of your generalizations and present your arguments clearly and logically.
2. Analyze the political, diplomatic, and military reasons for the United States victory in the Revolutionary War. Confine your answer to the period 1775–1783.
OR
3. Analyze the ways in which controversy over the extension of slavery into western territories contributed to the coming of the Civil War. Confine your answer to the period 1845–1861.
Directions: Choose ONE question from this part. You are advised to spend 5 minutes planning and 30 minutes writing your answer. Cite relevant historical evidence in support of your generalizations and present your arguments clearly and logically.
4. Analyze the roles that women played in Progressive Era reforms from the 1880s through 1920. Focus your essay on TWO of the following.
Politics
Social conditions
Labor and working conditions
OR
5. Explain the causes and consequences of TWO of the following population movements in the United States during the period 1945–1985.
Suburbanization
The growth of the Sun Belt
Immigration to the United States
2009 AP EXAM OPEN RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS:
Directions: Choose ONE question from this part. You are advised to spend 5 minutes planning and 30 minutes writing your answer. Cite relevant historical evidence in support of your generalizations and present your arguments clearly and logically.
2. Analyze the ways in which British imperial policies between 1763 and 1776 intensified colonials’ resistance to British rule and their commitment to republican values.
OR
3. Analyze the social, political, and economic forces of the 1840s and early 1850s that led
to the emergence of the Republican Party.
Directions: Choose ONE question from this part. You are advised to spend 5 minutes planning and 30 minutes writing your answer. Cite relevant historical evidence in support of your generalizations and present your arguments clearly and logically.
4. Choose TWO of the following organizations and explain their strategies for advancing the interests of workers. To what extent were these organizations successful in achieving their objectives? Confine your answer to the period from 1875 to 1925.
Knights of Labor
American Federation of Labor
Socialist Party of America
Industrial Workers of the World
OR
5. Analyze the home-front experiences of TWO of the following groups during the Second World War.
ESSAY WRITING GUIDES1. THESIS STATEMENTS
2. ESSAY STRUCTURE
3. ESSAY OUTLINE TEMPLATE
4. ALL 3 OF THE ABOVE IN ONE DOC
Essay writing page from 2011 summer program - visit this page!
This page has A LOT of helpful tips and guidelines for essay writing.
SPECIFIC WRITING TIPS
SAMPLE ESSAY QUESTIONS
2010 AP EXAM OPEN RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS:
Directions: Choose ONE question from this part. You are advised to spend 5 minutes planning and 30 minutes writing your answer. Cite relevant historical evidence in support of your generalizations and present your arguments clearly and logically.2. Analyze the political, diplomatic, and military reasons for the United States victory in the Revolutionary War. Confine your answer to the period 1775–1783.
OR
3. Analyze the ways in which controversy over the extension of slavery into western territories contributed to the coming of the Civil War. Confine your answer to the period 1845–1861.
Directions: Choose ONE question from this part. You are advised to spend 5 minutes planning and 30 minutes writing your answer. Cite relevant historical evidence in support of your generalizations and present your arguments clearly and logically.
4. Analyze the roles that women played in Progressive Era reforms from the 1880s through 1920. Focus your essay on TWO of the following.
- Politics
- Social conditions
- Labor and working conditions
OR5. Explain the causes and consequences of TWO of the following population movements in the United States during the period 1945–1985.
2009 AP EXAM OPEN RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS:
Directions: Choose ONE question from this part. You are advised to spend 5 minutes planning and 30 minutes writing your answer. Cite relevant historical evidence in support of your generalizations and present your arguments clearly and logically.2. Analyze the ways in which British imperial policies between 1763 and 1776 intensified colonials’ resistance to British rule and their commitment to republican values.
OR
3. Analyze the social, political, and economic forces of the 1840s and early 1850s that led
to the emergence of the Republican Party.
Directions: Choose ONE question from this part. You are advised to spend 5 minutes planning and 30 minutes writing your answer. Cite relevant historical evidence in support of your generalizations and present your arguments clearly and logically.
4. Choose TWO of the following organizations and explain their strategies for advancing the interests of workers. To what extent were these organizations successful in achieving their objectives? Confine your answer to the period from 1875 to 1925.
- Knights of Labor
- American Federation of Labor
- Socialist Party of America
- Industrial Workers of the World
OR5. Analyze the home-front experiences of TWO of the following groups during the Second World War.
TONS of Sample Essay Qs from the AP Exam